One film that found its way onto my PVR over the Christmas period was "40 year old virgin". If I'm honest I'm not sure why. I'd heard good things about it from a friend's daughter (but she was 15) but I'm not a great fan of American comedies in, what I thought would be, a similar style ("American Pie" and the like). Watching the film I was left rather cold and wondering what I'd done with the last hour or so.
Andy Stitzer (Steve Carrell) is 40 years old and is still a virgin. When his colleagues at work find out, they decide to make him their project. They become determined to help Andy lose his virginity and nothing spurs them on more when it comes to light that Andy likes the single mother who has an office across the street. Will his friends win? Will Andy get laid? Will he be happy?
The film, undoubtedly has potential. There's more comedic possibilities than almost any other situation I can think of. Carrell also has an advantage as he co-wrote and co-produced the film so he should really know the character he's playing. However I'm not sure that any advantage that he had really came through. Carrell is a funny, funny man but somehow I found myself bored by this film rather than guffawing at the screen.
The characterization in the film is weak at best. We don't really get under the skin of any of the characters, not even Andy. If there is a "straight man" to Andy then it comes in the form of Trish, Andy's love interest from across the street. Her dead pan face and timing is a credit to both her and the writers but we just don't get to know her or the relationship that she does or could have with Andy.
Stereotypes abound and one is left thinking that one is watching a naive play by a 16 year old who thinks he knows all there is to know about love sex and relationships rather than a film about consenting adults in the real world. Perhaps I'm just too straight for this. Perhaps there is humour there that's lost on me because I don't want to go there. I don't know. What I do know is that I found it distinctly un-funny.
The film is not dragged up by any great cinematography but it does have quite a good soundtrack comprising songs from the 60s through 80s putting it fairly and squarely in the playlists of real 40 somethings. However, I don't think that is the intended audience. The teens who this film will appeal to won't be getting the same nostalgia from the tracks and probably won't appreciate many of them. In terms of setting it's very 21st century (Trish owns an eBay pack it and sell it store) but in terms of feel it's very 1980s.
I made it to the end of the film and both my husband and I agreed - why had we spent the last hour or so watching it? There was potential for a feel-good movie; there was potential for a good comedy; heck, there was probably even potential for a bit of drama. What we got though was flat, uninteresting and un-funny.
Not recommended.
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Cult comic actor Steve Carell--long adored for his supporting work onThe Daily Showand in ... more
movies likeBruce AlmightyandAnchorman--leaps into leading man status withThe 40 Year-Old Virgin. There's no point describing the plot; it's about how a 40 year-ol...
Postage & Packaging: £1.24 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Cult comic actor Steve Carell--long adored for his supporting work onThe Daily Showand in ... more
movies likeBruce AlmightyandAnchorman--leaps into leading man status with The 40 Year-Old Virgin. There's no point describing the plot; it's about how a 40 year-o...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
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Cult comic actor Steve Carell--long adored for his supporting work onThe Daily Showand in ... more
movies likeBruce AlmightyandAnchorman--leaps into leading man status with The 40 Year-Old Virgin. There's no point describing the plot; it's about how a 40 year-o...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 4 to 6 weeks...
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Feb 11th, 2008
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